Utseya shock inclusion in cricket squad

OFF-SPINNER Prosper Utseya yesterday earned a surprise call to the Zimbabwe Cricket Team for the upcoming World Cup despite the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s restrictions on his bowling after breaking the 15-degree flex rule. The tournament gets underway in Australia and New Zealand next month.

Critics and observers rapped the selectors over the decision to include Utseya in the squad for the World Cup as he will not be able to play his best game as his favoured style is outlawed.  Zimbabwe will battle it out in Pool B alongside South Africa, defending champions India, Pakistan, West Indies, Ireland and United Arab Emirates and will need to win at least three matches to qualify for the quarter finals.

The former Zimbabwe captain was suspended by the ICC in October last year after his faster deliveries against South Africa in one-dayers played in Bulawayo in August were found to exceed the ICC’s 15-degree level of tolerance. The 29-year-old bowler’s spin-off deliveries were all deemed illegal. Utseya, however, underwent remedial work on his action and was cleared after a retest.

Although he has been cleared to play, he will only be allowed to bowl slow – medium deliveries in international cricket and not his favoured off-spin. Vastly experienced Dav Whatmore who was appointed Zimbabwe cricket team head coach last month is part of the selection panel which also included bowling coach Douglas Hondo, Givemore Makoni, national captain Elton Chigumbura and former team manager and long-serving administrator Babu Meman.

The convenor of the national selectors, Makoni, defended the decision to select Utseya saying: “Prosper (Utseya) has experience and still very effective in this role.  “I believe he will be effective. He is a bowler and can bat a bit.”

Solomon Mire and Elton Chigumbura have been included in the squad as all-rounders while Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Utseya and Sean Williams offer spin options in Whatmore’s final 15-man squad for the tournament. Williams is another all-rounder who was selected after his fallout with former coach Stephen Mangongo.

Mangongo was fired last month and replaced by former Sri Lanka and Bangladesh coach Whatmore who is Australian.
The squad also features several fast bowlers with Tinashe Panyangara, Tendai Tatara and Tawanda Mupariwa leading the line. Opening batsman, Chamu Chibhabha ,Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chaibva, Craig Ervine and Stuart Matsikenyeri have also been named in the squad.

Chibhaba makes a return to the team after having been frozen out of the national set up since March 2013 when the side toured West Indies. The selectors based their choices on the players’ performances in the domestic league, the recent tour to Bangladesh and last year’s triangular series which also involved South Africa and Australia.

In addition to the 15 selected for the World Cup, experienced batsman Vusi Sibanda has be named as one of the non-travelling reserves alongside John Nyumbu , Brian Vitori, Malcom Waller and Cephas Zhuwao.

Zimbabwe squad for the 2015 Cricket World cup
Elton Chigumbura (captain),Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Tatara, Chamunorwa Chibahabha,Craig Ervine,Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Solomon Mire, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tinashe Panyangara, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya and Sean Williams.

Non-travelling Reserves
John Nyumbu, Vusimusi Sibanda, Brian Vitori, Malcom Waller and Cephas Zhuwao.

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